Child&#39;s vehicle



. 1,566,126 L. ALEXANDER CHILDS VEHICLE Aug. 26, 1924.

Filed June 16. 1923 [NI EN TOR.

z jzm A TTORNEK Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

LEWIS ALEXANDER, OF CLINTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CLINTON NOVELTY (30., OF CLINTON, ILLINOIS, A COMMON LAW TRUST.

CHILDS VEHICLE.

Application filed June 16, 1923. Serial No. 645,597.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of De Witt and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Childrens Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to a childs velocipede or tricycle, pertaining more particularly to a tricycle having mounted thereon, for vertical rocking movement, the figure of a horse which forms the supporting seat for the rider.

The object of the invention is to so construct the device that the connections used to impart said vertical rocking movement to the horse from the driving mechanism will be applied in such manner as to utilize a minimum of power of the foot pedals and at points to operate said horse in the best and most direct way.

To the end that the invention may be fully understood, the accompanying drawing is presented forming part thereof.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tricycle showing my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan of a crank-shaft, part of the tricycle frame, and a cranked portion of said shaft to which a pitman is connected, shown in section, and

Figure3 is aside elevation of part of what is shown in said Figure 2, showing part in cross section.

The frame of the tricycle comprises for convenience and simplicity a straight tubular reach-section 1 having what may be termed its rear end supported in conventional manner between the rear wheels 2, but one of which is shown, the forward end being supported upon any usual forked standard 3 for steering purposes through a T-shaped tubular fitting 4e resting upon a shoulder 5 of said standard. The latter is provided with the customary handle-bar 6 adjustable for position through a clamp 7 as in common practice.

Erected upon the reach-section 1 is an angular frame 8 secured in fixed. relation at its forward end in a fitting 9, its rear end being secured in suitable manner to the rear axle 10 in any approved manner not necessary to illustrate herein.

The rocking body of the represented horse is designated by the character 11 and has a suitable saddle 12 for the rider, said body being pivot-ally supported at the upper ex tremity of a vertically adjustable supporting standard 13 slidable through the frame 8 and secured by a set screw It for example.

Depending from the fitting 9 is a hangerportion 15 includin a tubular portion 16, Figure 2, within w ich is carried a shaft 17 provided at opposite ends with the usual crank-arms 18 terminating in the pedals 19.

A sprocket wheel 20 is secured to rotate with the shaft 17 and a drive-chain 21 is trained over the same and a pinion 22 affixed to the rear axle 10 or to one of the wheels in any desired manner.

My improved construction as applied to the vehicle will be understood from the following: One of the crank-arms 18, Figure 2, is made of two portions off-set from one another, as 23, 24, though a unitary struc ture, connected by a wrist-pin 25 whose axis parallels the said shaft 17.

A pitman is pivotally connected. at one end to the body 11 in any convenient manner, Figure 1, and its other end terminates in a hook 27 Figures 1 and 3. Said pitman is preferably a malleable casting so that said hook 27 may be bent around the said wristpin 25 and said pitman is bent in its length so that its said hooked end and its end where pivoted to the body 11 may lie at different planes, or so that its last named end may lie in the plane of the reach 1 while the hooked end may lie well out of the way of the riders leg.

The power is directly applied from the crank to tilt the body and the construction makes for simplicity and convenience of construction and incidentally results in low cost of production in that the pitman may be easily and quickly bent around the wristpin, the latter requiring little if any dressing even when the crank is a mere casting which method I prefer to employ for its manufacture.

I claim:

1. In a childs tricycle, including its Wheeled frame, pivotally mounted seat-portion, and a driving mechanismincluding a crank-shaft and pedals, in combination a wrist-pin included with one of the cranks of said crank-shaft, and a pitman pivotally connected at one end with the seat-portion, and at its other end connected to said wristpin for imparting vertical movement to said Y seat portion. I

2. The combination with a childs vehicle including in its construction a wheeled frame, a seat-portion adapted forpivotal movement, and a driving mechanism including a shaft, a bearing on the frame therefor, and pedal-cranks, of a crank-pin formed with one of the cranks, and a pitman pivot-i ally attached at one end to the seat-portion and terminating at its other end in a ductile extension adapted to be closed around said crank-pin forming a'bearing about the-same.

3. The combination with a childs vehicle including in its construction a wheeled frame, a seat portion adapted for pivotal movement, and a driving :mechanism including a shaft, a bearing on the frame therefor, and pedal-cranks, of a crank-pin'formed with one of said cranks between the pedal thereof and the said bearing, and apitinan ing a shaft, a bearing on the frame therefor, and pedal-cranks, of a crank-pin formed with one of the said cranks between the pedal thereof and the said bearing, and a pitman pivotally connected at one end to the 'seat portio n and extending downwardly and 'o'utw'a'rdlyfromthe latter to said crankpin -adapted at its lower end to be bent around the latter forming a bearing upon the same.

5. The combination with a childs vehicle including a main drama-wheels upon which its rear-end zis supported, a. wheel-mounted stem journaled "in the forward end of :said frame, a sea'tJpontio'n pivotally supported on the frame, mechanism for driving the rear wheels including :a cran-ked'shaft ijour naled on the i frame including pedals, driving 'meanszopera-ti-vely connecting said shaft and said rear wheels, of zacrank-pin formed on one of the formal: portionsof the shaft,

and a pitinan pivotally attached at oneend to the' saidrseat portion its other end adapted to be bent into-an eye engaging around said :cranlr-z pinwforming 121' bearing connection for said ipitman. e V V In testimony 'whereofIaflixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

- LEWIS ALEXANDER, Witnesses: 1 V

LEONARD INGHAM,

' DAVID T; GANo. 

